Friction between Japan and the United States. Ryosei Akazawa, the Japanese sales negotiator, suddenly canceled a planned trip to the United States due to “administrative problems.” The latter had to go to Washington to write a written confirmation of the agreement concluded with Donald Trump about customs tasks in July. However, some points do not seem to be clarified.
$ 550 billion in investments in the United States
Among the friction points, Japan has pledged to invest $ 550 billion (471 billion euros) in the United States in exchange for 15% of customs duties in most products, according to the statement published in July by the White House. As a comparison, this sum represents 14% of Japanese GDP and approximately twice and a half times the amount of the Marshall Plan.
Donald Trump presented this plan as “our money to invest” and declared that the United States would maintain “90 % of the profits obtained” for these investments. The White House also specifies that “these funds will be intended for the revitalization of the United States Strategic Industrial Base”, within the framework “of a strategic realignment of economic relations between the United States and Japan at the service of the US people.”
On the contrary, Japanese officials emphasized that investments would be determined according to their possible benefit for Japan. According to Reuters, the Japanese sales negotiator could go to Washington earlier next week, once the questions were restless.
Source: BFM TV
